Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Windswept & Interesting: My Autobiography by Billy Connolly

9 reviews

liammenzies's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective medium-paced

3.5

Exactly the kind of memoir you’d expect from the big yin: that being, a pretty free flowing one that doesn’t have much of a through line but is pretty entertaining throughout. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Child abuse

reeharp's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

johannaplatt's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

3.75

Heartwarming, funny insight into Billy's life. Enjoyed reading his stories of his early career. You got a real feeling for what it would have been like in the 70s and 80s. Some emotional topics touched upon; his honesty, tenacity and reflection on these is to be admired.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol

ginshering's review against another edition

dark emotional funny inspiring medium-paced

4.0

Listen to the audiobook; to hear Billy deliver his own words made the book. Some very sad moments and times when I was laughing out loud, and I’m not a person who laughs easily. I loved his passion for Scotland and Glasgow particularly, and his self belief. This is a story of a man who could have been destroyed by his childhood circumstances but he managed to carve out an incredibly successful career in comedy and movies, and a loving family life through his enjoyment in hobbies and seeing the joy in the characters in life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

tronella's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Vomit, and Medical content

Moderate: Child abuse, Incest, and Violence

thenorthernlibrarian's review against another edition

funny lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

I found the structure a little disjointed. Much of it was funny fact, little story or something he likes in rotation. Enjoyed the first half about his childhood, but lost me a little when it went into random travelling stories. Fans would love it though, there were a lot of funny stories. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism and Physical abuse

Minor: Sexual assault

luelle_'s review

funny medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism

Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Violence, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

ajnagle's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Abandonment, and Alcohol

collyofthewobbles's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

5.0

If I could give this 10 stars I would.
Firstly, if you don’t listen to this on audiobook, you’re missing a treat.
Billy’s narration and storytelling are fantastic. Including the moments where he is cracking himself up laughing, which have been left into the edit. Pure joy.
I realised I’ve read a few books about Billy‘s life before, but never from his own mouth. This follows him from birth until now. Growing up in Glasgow, his years as a welder, folk singer, banjo player, comedian and all around windswept and interesting fella.
At times this is hard going because Billy has had a complicated and hard going life. But through his narration on the audiobook, there is always the sense of hope and willingness to share his story. 
There are some very hard topics to deal with, but he comes to them from a place of understanding and clarification.
There are plenty of the stories that you know and love if you are a fan of Billy’s. From dancing around naked, to wishing Parkinson had kept his disease from self...
I really enjoyed this, I am grateful that Billy shared his life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Rape, and Religious bigotry